Praetor IX
World: 'Praetor IX *'Location: 'Subsector Adamantis *'Type: 'Civilised World *'Tithe: 'Milites Materiel Praetor IX's strong Naval tradition has them produce many effective Navy personnel. They also provide restock & repairs for Imperial Navy vessels, and assemble some ships themselves. *'Population: '6.3 billion 300 000 000 *'Government: '''Naval Parliament. The senior officers that inhabit this planet on a permanent basis (ie semi-retirees, logistical officers, defence fleet officers etc) make up a parliamentary government. By the chain of command the leader of this parliament is therefore '''Admiral Cyra Xerant, but when he is offworld (which is often) the most senior permanent resident is Rear Admiral Oberon Marks. 'Description' Praetor IX was first colonised by humanity during the Dark Age of Technology, and it is theorised that it was a major hub of some kind due to the large network of impressive orbital spires that dot its surface. However during the Age of Strife the world was lost, whether to chaos, xenos or something else it cannot guessed. After thousands of years of disuse almost everything on the planet crumbled & faded, save for the mighty orbital spires (though almost everything inside them turned to dust). The Great Crusade did not come across Praetor IX, and it wasn't until the Belisarian Reclamation Crusade in M37 that the long-lost planet was rediscovered by the Imperium. Admiral (later Lord Admiral) Nikolai Korgrim, chief naval commander of the crusade, decided that Praetor IX would be perfect as a bulwark of naval power in the region. To this end the orbital spires were inhabited and re-equipped to handle large amounts of traffic, especially resupply & repair facilities. Around the base of the spires great cities of colonists formed, and industries to provide for the needs of starships developed. In M41 Praetor IX serves as one of the main centres of operations for Battlefleet Deus and just as Adamant Prime is the main defence in the north of Adamantis, Praetor IX is the imperium's strongpoint in the south of Adamantis. As it is near the major warp route hub of Artorion's Gate Praetor IX is also perfectly placed to defend trade routes with its dispatched patrols, and it has a rapid response force ready at all times to answer any distress signals. Much like Fortress Worlds the military of Praetor IX is not a self-contained PDF & SDF but more like a part of the official Imperial military, in this case the Imperial Navy. Praetor IX's defense fleet - though still formed of warp-incapable vessels - is considered part of the Imperial Navy, and their officers are Imperial Navy officers. Similarly Praetor IX's ground forces are considered Naval armsmen, coming under the command of the Imperial Navy and structured within the same heirarchy. Appropriately, Praetor IX is home to one of the largest naval officer academies in the Sector. Most of the students are volunteers from either Praetor IX itself or Adamant Prime, but it is also the main destination for any Progena from Sector Deus Scholas with a knack for naval command. Prospective students must pass extensive entrance exams, ensuring resources are only spent on suitable candidates (though this can be bypassed with the help of a heavy purse), but the Progena are exempt from these as they have already been tested and graded extensively at the Schola Progenium. The academy is staffed by semi-retired Imperial Navy officers & NCOs who teach the Midshipmen the skills they will need to be a successful Naval officer, including tactics, strategy, logistics and personal combat skills. *'Technology:' – Good The orbital spire system makes interplanetary trade significantly cheaper and easier for this planet, resulting in the average citizen having a much greater access to more advanced technologies. And of course the large Imperial Navy presence means a high presence of advanced military technology. *'Military:' Praetor IX has a large defence fleet comprised not only of monitors but also mothballed Navy reserve ships, including some cruisers, that have had their warp drives removed for use elsewhere. Praetor IX also has a very large Naval Armsmen force that functions as the planet's ground forces. In addition to this there are usually many warp-capable vessels of the active Imperial Navy in orbit, often including the Mars-class Battlecruiser'' Prosecutor. Praetor IX is also the home anchorage of the enormous '''Regent-class Orbital Assault Ship ''Saint Luripedes. On permanent assignment to the system is ''Blaze Squadron'' of the Imperial Navy, consisting of four Firestorm-class Frigates that stand ready 24/7 to respond to any distress signals from the surrounding trade lanes, in addition to other rapid response forces. *'Strategic importance: 'Media The planet itself is important to naval power in the subsector, and its loss would make the warp routes in the region less safe. However nothing vital would be lost if this planet fell. The imperial navy fleet in orbit is another matter however, and if this were lost consequences would be disastrous. Fortunately the fleet is capable of leaving if they must. *'Loyalty: '90% The heavily militarised culture enforces great loyalty. As does the fact that their de facto Governor is a high ranking officer in the Imperial military. '''Notable Locations Praetor IX's environment is quite typical for a temperate world. It is cold & snowy at the poles, sandy desert around the equator, and rainforests in the tropics, with varying mildness in between. Most of Praetor IX's landmass can be found in one long continent that stretches from the north pole down to the south pole, while the rest of the planet is mostly water interspersed with a few lesser continents. The most significant feature of the Praetor IX environment are the orbital spires. There is no place on the planet's surface where at least one of these gargantuan structures cannot be seen, and around their bases enormous cities have formed. *'Stormsreach' - The capital cityspire of Praetor IX, named for the great stormclouds that often shroud the large station at the top of the spire from view from beneath. Central Stormsreach consists of the spire's massive disc-shaped baseplate, and is capable of housing millions of souls in densely packed towers, hab blocks and residential units, while the internal streets are filled with a vast service economy of shops & merchants selling products that are delivered through the spire itself. Surrounding this vast baseplate are large stretches of suburb and beyond that farmland & countryside. Notable locations in Stormsreach: **'Korgrim Station' - This is the massive space station located at the top of Stormsreach spire, and named for its rediscoverer and claimant. This disc-shaped structure houses most of Praetor IX's government and naval command systems, and is filed with communications stations, astropathic choirs and logistical services that help keep Battlegroup Adamantis functioning. It is also a massive docking point for Imperial Navy vessels and frequently plays host to the Prosecutor, in addition to its own formidable defences. Notable inhabitants: ***'Admiral Cyra Xerant' - The command of Battlegroup Adamantis and the ruler of Praetor IX. Admiral Xerant is however frequently off-world, either on Adamant Prime or commanding the fleet. ***'Rear Admiral Oberon Marks' - Admiral Xerant's appointed regent. RAdm Marks is an old and experienced logistician of the Imperial Navy, and Adm Xerant trusts him greatly. ***'Commodore Aleyna Pirce' - A highly intelligent desk officer who oversees Battlegroup Adamantis' logistical needs, such as ammunition, personnel & repair materials, to ensure they are available when & where needed. Despite her intelligence & competence Pirce has an arrogant streak that can see her attempting to order around warship captains, who often respond with a contemptuous laugh. ***'Commodore Brandon Dalaster' - The commander of Stormsreach's army of armsmen. Cdre Dalaster is a tough soldier who has served as Master-of-Arms on numerous vessels in Battlefleet Deus, including the Alexios Komnenos ''and the ''Drakovich, and he is well respected by those he works with. **'Ancients' Basilica' - The main imperial cathedral on Praetor IX, and the local seat of the Ecclesiarchy. The Ancients' Basilica is one of the oldest parts of Stormsreach, and is an enormous structure constructed of old granite & marble that has been decorated with outstanding artistic masonry over the millennia. It plays host to a large number of worshippers daily, most of them naval personnel. Notable inhabitants: ***'Cardinal Serjen Druppe' - The highest ranking member of the Ecclesiarchy on Praetor IX, he holds mass regularly in the Ancients' Basilica. **'Macro District' - The industrial district of Stormsreach and named after their most numerous product, macrocannon shells. While the Macro District as a whole creates all kinds of technology, including commercial, its most significant duty is forging the materiel needed to feed Imperial Navy vessels. Ammunition, spare parts, ration packs, uniforms, and more are funelled from the Macro District up to Korgrim Station, where they are put to use on the docked ships. **'Residential Spires' - The most expensive & luxurious districts in Stormsreach are those located closest to the spire itself, composed of mighty conglomerations of plasteel & adamantium perched atop the massive baseplate. It is home to Praetor IX's civilian elite and wealthiest business owners, who enjoy the service of the commoners beneath them and the protection of the Imperial Navy above them. Notable inhabitants: ***'Torine Dynasty' - A popular dynasty of entertainers & propagandists who work closely with the Imperial Navy to aid recruitment efforts and raise morale where needed. They boast many excellent singers, actors and other entertainers of all kinds who are well known throughout the navy, while many other members of the dynasty are adept at creating recruitment campaigns and propaganda pieces. ***'Marcella Dynasty' - This dynasty has a strong naval tradition and boasts many members in the Imperial Navy. They are one of the Xerant Dynasty's many sworn vassal houses, and links between them run deep through both marriage & brotherhood-in-arms. Notable members: ****'Commodore Kevan Marcella' - The patriarch of the dynasty. Kevan is a semi-retired Imperial Navy officer who serves as headmaster of Stormsreach Naval Academy, and one of the highest members of the planet's naval parliament. ****'Commander Ona Xerant Marcella' - Hailing from the Xerant Dynasty and the wife of Kevan. They first met when she was posted as voidmaster aboard his ship, she is now semi-retired and serves as a piloting teacher in Stormsreach Naval Academy. ****'Commander Lanceus Marcella '- Eldest child of Kevan & Ona. Lanceus is a proficient fleet officer who has served as Executive Officer for several different capital ships. Lanceus is highly commended by his superiors and said to be destined for the admiralty. *****'Lieutenant Anabelle Xerant' - A young daughter of Lord General Militant Lucas Xerant Dynasty who serves as a logistics officer on Korgrim Station. She is currently engaged to Lanceus. ****'Lieutenant Commander Onsten Marcella' - Middle child of Kevan & Ona. Onsten is currently the Voidmaster of the Dauntless-class light cruiser Jackal, having taken after his mother in this skill. ****'Lieutenant Karianne Marcella' - Youngest child of Kevan & Ona. Karianne is currently serving as Master of Ordnance aboard Blaze III, the third ship of Blaze Squadron. Though still young and with limited combat experience, Lt. Marcella has already drawn praise for her instinctive accuracy & skill at the controls of a fearsome lance weapon. ***'Creorthas Dynasty' - For many decades this family has been the subject of dark rumours suggesting debauched excess within the walls of their palace that borders on heresy. Such rumours are unconfirmed as the dynasty's Famulous went missing in 347.M41 (though - unknown to most - the family gained a terribly disfigured & mute servant woman shortly after). ***'Eszme Dynasty' - This family once owned most of the voidsuit production in the Macro District, however in 352.M41 they were discovered to be producing a subpar product in order to cut their costs. This fact that was revealed after the deaths of seven thousand officers & ratings aboard an imperial navy cruiser that suffered a hull breach after de-warping into an asteroid field, who all suffocated after the poor quality seals on their voidsuits failed. Following this calamity an investigative committee traced the failure back to the Eszme Dynasty, who were discovered to have purposely lowered their product quality. Two entire generations of adults from the dynasty were executed for the crime - one of the harshest sentences ever levelled upon a noble family in the Subector - to ensure such a crime against the Imperial Navy would never happen again. What little remains of the Eszme Dynasty is now almost destitute by noble standards and socially shunned. In 352.M41 the remnants of the Eszme Dynasty departed Praetor IX for the new world of Fortuity on the rimward edge of Subsector Adamantis, seeking a new life away from their shame. *'Ward '- A spirecity that plays host to the largest repair docks on Praetor IX. At the top of Ward's orbital spire is a large network of drydocks and repair stations that can restore even the most grievously wounded ship to working order. Enormous cranes manoeuvre colossal adamantium armour plates into place, and enginseer parties scurry around the hulls fixing internal conduits and systems. The surface of Ward is devoted to producing replacement components for the repairs and providing manpower for the vast legions of dockworkers who perform the labour. For obvious reasons Ward has a very large Adeptus Mechanicus presence, and they command the dockworkers in the maintenance of their beloved voidships. Notable inhabitants: **'Magos Prime Arsi Parr (ARP-364-414)' - The most senior member of the Adeptus Mechanicus in Ward, effectively making her the most important & powerful person in Ward. Magos Prime Parr is an extremely experienced shipsmith who served as Enginseer Prime aboard the Prosecutor for over two centuries. 'Other notable planets in the system' 'Praetor III' *'World:' Praetor III *'Type:' Hot World *'Tithe:' Nix *'Population:' N/A *'Government:' N/A *'Description:' This hot, dusty world is constantly mired with sandstorms and vast dust devils, making travel in-atmosphere dangerous and unreliable. It used to be colonised in the Dark Age of Technology before environmental disasters engulfed the planet in the constant sandstorms & desert, so it is frequently explored by research parties following leads on old sites garnered from ancient records. Unfortunately no lasting exavations can be made do to the sandstorms, which quickly reclaim any uncovered secrets and can be lethal to an unprepared explorer. *'Technology:' N/A *'Military:' N/A *'Strategic importance:' Nix *'Loyalty:' N/A 'Praetor VII' *'World:' Praetor VII *'Type:' Gas Giant *'Tithe:' Ferrum A small portion of every shipment of ore sold by the corporations is given to the Imperium. *'Population:' 15 million 000 000 mining personnel approx. *'Government:' Corporate Vassals. The corporations that the miners work for decide what happens here. Though they are subject to extensive regulations laid down by Praetor IX. *'Description:' A vast gas giant with an extensive series of planetary rings and a large number of natural moons & satellites. It is used as a vast training arena for naval personnel to get practical experience, and the moons are studded with static guns & the void filled with with wreckage for trainee trainee officers to navigate and master. Several of the larger moons also play host to private mining operations. *'Technology:' - Imperial The mining operations utilise cheap, efficient methods. *'Military:' The corporations have their own armed guards and some employ mercenaries as well. However they can do little more than maintain security and engage in corporate conflict, against a dedicated invasion force they would be sorely outmatched. *'Strategic importance:' Minima The mining interests are private and so have no importance to the Imperium, and eliminating Praetor VII's use as a training arena would be a near-impossible task (ie it would require blowing up the entire gas giant). *'Loyalty:' 80%80% The people have very strong loyalties both to the Imperium and the mining corporations that provide all their supplies. Fortunately the wills of both institutions generally align, but when they do not intense strife amongst the miners always occurs. 'Praetor XII' *'World:' Praetor XII *'Type:' Ice World *'Tithe:' Nix *'Population:' 500 thousand 000 *'Government:' Total Militarisation. Only active military personnel are stationed on Praetor XII, so they are governed by simple chain of command. *'Description:' A distant world far in the outer reaches that is used as an astropathic relay and an early-warning post. The entire military population resides in a large, environmentally sealed fortress on the planet's northern pole, and its powerful augur arrays constantly scan the entire system and relay the information directly to Korgrim Station on Praetor IX. The armsmen stationed on Praetor XII are the first responders to any unauthorised ships entering the system and they load up onto defence monitors & system defence ships ready to board any suspicious ships - or neutralise any hostile ships. The fortress itself is also equipped with powerful anti-orbital weapons. *'Technology:' - Imperial The fortress and armsmen utilise basic & hardy imperial tech. *'Military:' Strong naval armsman presence. At least a squadron of defence monitors and usually more is always in orbit above Praetor XII, ready to intercept any unknown vessels detected entering the system. *'Strategic importance:' Media Praetor XII is an important part of maintaining Praetor IX's security. It is their safeguard against surprise attacks on the imperial fleet while anchored. *'Loyalty:' 95% The entirely military population has strong loyalties to the Imperium. Category:Planet Category:Imperial World Category:Subsector Adamantis